Anger against Indian techies, H1B visas at US review call: report

Unemployed and replaced US workers spoke of ill practices in the Indian outsourcing companies at a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) review call. Photo: Madhu Kapparath/HT

New Delhi: A review call organised by an agency responsible for overseeing lawful immigration to the US revealed pent-up anger against outsourcing, H1B visas, and Indian technology workers have spread across the country, says a report in The Economic Times.

Unemployed American workers, advocacy groups and technology companies expressed “negative” sentiments during the “national listening session” organised by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), added the report.

Many people commented on ill practices in the Indian outsourcing companies, and some even said that there is a mismatch between how much companies paid H1B visa holders and how much they earned themselves. The report said that a US worker, who was in charge of interviewing H1B and L1 workers commented that most of the workers applying for these visas were not highly skilled and recommended USCIS to be “stricter”.

The ET report cited USCIS spokesperson R. Carter Langston confirming that the session had individuals who represented unemployed and replaced US workers, as well as foreign nationals who may be in the US on various employment-based visas.

“I am not aware that specific companies or countries were mentioned during the call,” Langston was quoted as saying.

People tracking US immigration policies expressed dismay at the tenor of discussions and were appalled by anti-Indian sentiments.

The report also cited US-licensed immigration attorney Poorvi Chothani, confirming that many negative comments were specifically directed at Indian companies and Indian H1B workers.